A flighty temptress, named Adventure
by Ajwolf07
Summary: At the end of second year, Harry has an unusual reaction towards the Basilisk venom. A vision, and unmasking an enemy hiding in plain sight, de-rail Harry's life from the path Fate had for him. For better? Or worse? read on to find out more!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey guys, this is my first fanfic. It will involve a smarter and more practical Harry, along with unique Animagi and plenty Quidditch and life altering situations. Reviews and suggestions are much appreciated, and if you do like the story, please add it to your favorites!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. This is just written as a means of enjoyment.

**A/N: **

§_Words_§ - Parseltongue

'_Words' -_ Letters, thoughts

_:Words: - Other languages_

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

Harry was frozen in horror, staring at the wildly lunging Basilisk in front of him. Even though Fawkes had punctured its eyes, the beast seemed intent on killing him, apparently eager to follow Riddle's instructions. That train of thoughts was broken when the Basilisk's tail lashed out at him, and only his reflexes as a seeker saved Harry from being squashed into a pulp. He landed beside the battered looking Sorting Hat, and in a moment of inspiration, he rammed his hand into it. Sensing the Basilisk lunging toward him again, he tried extracting his hand from the Hat when his hand clasped around something. He pulled his hand out…

.

.

along with a gleaming sword, with rubies encrusted in its hilt. Any other time and Harry would have marveled at the sword, but deciding not to push his luck further, he grasped the sword in his hands, letting the Hat fall to the ground.

_§Kill the boy… You can still smell him!§ _Riddle yelled in Parseltongue.

This time, the Basilisk lunged straight at him, intent on biting his head off. Seeing no chance to evade, Harry braced himself, and drove the sword right into its mouth.

He cried out in agony as his elbow erupted with a searing pain. Looking down, he saw a long fang embedded there. Wrenching it out, he noticed the pain was now spreading all over his body, particularly near his forehead. Even through his pain, he noticed a shadow fall over him.

"Remarkable how quickly basilisk venom can kill you, is it not?" Riddle sneered at him. "I'm finally going to watch you die, Harry Potter!"

Seeing the diary at his feet Harry offered Riddle a wry smile, before plunging the basilisk fang straight through the diary.

An ear splitting shriek echoed from Riddle, as ink spurted from the pages of the diary.

Suddenly Harry doubled over and screamed, the pain in his forehead intensifying. Vision clouding over, the last thing he saw was a red and gold blur speeding towards him, before darkness clouded over his senses.

Harry Potter was dead.

* * *

He found himself in a strange place, unnerved by the stillness and silence around. He looked around, searching for someone. Anyone. He couldn't be all alone here, could he? He had hoped he would see his parents here.

_'Is this what heaven looks like? And why in Merlin's name does it look like the Hogwarts' Quidditch pitch?!' _Harry thought to himself.

His train of thoughts was broken however, by a laugh behind him. Three men were walking towards him, while the one in the middle had a grin on his face.

"Well young Harry, I can assure you that this is _not_ what heaven looks like, and it looks like your Quidditch pitch, because we are in your mind." he said

"In my mind? And who are you three? And what do you mean by this is not what heaven looks like? Am I not-"

"Dead?" the man in the middle said. "I think not. As to who we are," pointing to the man on his right "This is Antioch, the one to my left is Cadmus, and I myself am Ignotus. And judging from your uncomprehending look, I think an explanation is in order. We, Harry, are the Peverell brothers of Old."

* * *

"I trust you are not familiar with our story, Harry?"

"I'm sorry, but no." Harry replied sheepishly.

"No matter." said Ignotus. He seemingly conjured a book out of nothing, and began to read a story out loud. The story revolved around three wizard brothers who once conquered death for a short time by defeating a deadly obstacle with their magic. The personification of Death appeared out of anger because he felt that they had cheated him, but pretended to congratulate them by awarding them gifts of their choosing: The Elder Wand - a wand more powerful than any other, The Resurrection Stone – an object which would enable the user to speak to the dead, and the Invisibility Cloak. Two of the three brothers wished to conquer Death beyond what they had done already, and foolishly chose their gifts accordingly, leading to their early demise, the first brother due to boasting of his wand's power, and the other killing himself when the ghost of his dead fiancé could not offer him any real comfort. The third brother was wiser, and hid under the Invisibility Cloak, something which allowed him to postpone death until he was ready, after which he lifted the veil that had helped him to evade the afterlife and was welcomed by Death.

Harry stood shocked at what he had heard, gaping at the three of them

"You guys actually did all that stuff? You mean to tell me that this _story… _is real?!"

Antioch spoke up "While the whole story is not essentially true, the gist of it is quite accurate."

Cadmus looked at Harry "You see Harry, the thing was, we existed in the times before Merlin did. In those times, magic was on the rise, and the three of us, were the strongest wizards then. We wanted to travel, and explore… we needed a challenge, Harry. Something that would push us beyond our capabilities."

"So we set out to find something. Something that was worthy of our talents. It was a perilous journey, wrought with a lot of challenges. We travelled far and wide, until we finally reached the end of our journey. The place we were seeking was an intensely magical place, one like no other. It was a pond, with a hue unmatched to any other body of water. It was as if we were gazing upon a sea of sapphires. But the purpose of our journey was not the pond. It was a tree that stood on the bank of the pond. It was at least 50 feet high, and it's bark and branches were blacker than the darkest night. Its leaves were shining like emeralds. As soon as our eyes fell upon it, and we realized we'd reached the end of our quest. This was the Tree of Life, Yggdrasil." Antioch continued.

"Before we could move towards the tree, a figure materialized from the shadows underneath the tree. He looked menacing, with a cloak, which looked as if it had been stitched from the very souls of the wicked. Though only the mouth of the figure was visible, it managed to strike fear into our souls, and somehow, we knew exactly who it was. This was Death."

Ignotus looked at Harry with a small smile "Though you may be skeptical, we aren't joking, young one." Taking a breath he continued, "He looked at us and said that he was proud that there was at least some, worthy enough to make the journey to the Tree of Life, and still be alive to see it. Due to this, he offered us each a gift. Antioch-," sending a glare towards his eldest brother, he said "-asked for a wand whose power could never be rivaled. Death just smiled at him, walked over to the tree, and snapped one of his twigs. He waved his hand, and three substances appeared out of nowhere. They were a Griffin's gold feather, ash from Death's own Phoenix, and Dementor's blood. Then he merged them into the twig, before plucking a small emerald from the tree and fitting it at the base. He said that it was exceptional wand, and thus should be used with caution. The wand could also transform into a magical staff, should its master commanded it to do so. He then handed the wand to Antioch."

"Now, my dear brother Cadmus here, decided to ask Death for something that was even more powerful, so he asked for something to commune with the dead. Death smiled at him, and summoned a stone from the depths of the pond beside the tree, and handed it to Cadmus. He warned that there was a fine line between the dead and the land of the living, which could never be crossed."

"I was wondering why Death was being so generous in his gifts. Though I did not believe he had any ulterior intentions, I chose to be cautious, and asked for something that would enable me to hide from Death itself. He looked pleased with my answer, and took off his own cloak, and handed it to me. Telling me that it was mine until I decided to pass it on."

"Now what happened to these two-" he said, gesturing toward his elder brothers "-Is pretty much the same as the story, so I won't go into details. Something that is different is what happened after their deaths." The elder brothers winced. "Now, hearing of their untimely and irresponsible deaths, I decided to seek both of their possessions, as I knew of the destruction they would cause in the wrong hands. When I finally managed to track them down, I hid them away, creating fake copies of both the objects. When I grew old and I knew my time to meet Death a second time was near, I sealed them in a box with a blood rune, which would only open for someone who descended form me. I handed the box to my son and asked him to deposit them in the most secure location he could, and pass on the information on to the next generation. It would be opened when the time was right. I also gave him the cloak for his use, which he would pass on to his own sons."

Still processing the information from the story, he asked curiously "It was an amazing tale, sir. But I don't understand what it has to do with me?"

Ignotus just grinned at him " Because Harry, that same cloak is in your possession, and you are my last living descendant, making you the heir of the Peverell's."

* * *

**A/N : Well, that concludes the first chapter! Thanks for reading, and please review and comment!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow! Didn't expect so many views so soon! A special thanks to DiangeloMalfoy and truebod for being the first two to favorite the story!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

Harry just stared in shock at Ignotus, not willing to comprehend the information put in front of him. He just continued staring at the three of them, his mouth hanging open.

"I think you broke him, Ignotus. Maybe you shouldn't have added that last part." said Antioch, snickering.

"What? About the cloak? Which reminds me!" he said, pointing at Harry. "You people never really got the hang of wearing it did you? Not you, nor your father and nor his father!" Ignotus exclaimed, "It's a cloak, not a quilt! It's meant for only one person! You're supposed to tie it around your neck, just like a regular cloak. It will appear black in color, and look just like an ordinary cloak, until you pull the hood over your head, which will make you turn invisible!"

That brought Harry out of his musings. He looked up eagerly at Ignotus.

"Really?"

"Knew that would get him out of his trance!"

"Anyway" Antioch started, "We should get to the more serious stuff."

Ignotus' and Cadmus' expressions instantly became serious.

"Now, Harry, firstly I want you to know that all we are going to tell you, will totally unbalance your understanding of this world, so we ask that you trust us, okay? The first thing you need to know is that the man you know as Dumbledore is not really him. I'll start from the beginning. You've heard of Grindelwald, yes? In his last days, Grindelwald had made something called a Horcrux. It's an intensely dark object, made with the purpose of storing one's soul inside it. Now, when Voldemort attacked you on that Halloween night, Grindelwald, who was in his cell in the prison Nurmengard, died mysteriously. Was it a coincidence? We can't tell. All we know is that in the Wizarding world, nothing is a coincidence. Now, as soon as Grindelwald died, the piece of his soul inside the Horcrux got activated. The soul inside that object now went and possessed the nearest Wizard it could find. Now, Grindelwald knew that this wizard was insignificant, and he couldn't carry out his grand plans of destroying the world through this position. So he went after the only person he knew no one would ever suspect."

"Dumbledore." Harry whispered, horrorstruck.

Antioch just nodded grimly and continued, "Now before Dumbledore reach to Privet Drive, the wizard hosting Grindelwald's soul overpowered Dumbledore and placed him under an enchanted sleep. He then travelled back to Hogwarts, and placed him in the secret quarters in the Headmaster's office. Now, Grindelwald was a master in the Illusion branch of magic, so he transformed himself into an exact replica of your Headmaster. Since then, this fake Dumbledore has been manipulating your life, playing out your life like a chess game, making sure you turn out exactly the way he needed you. He put you with the Dursley's, so you would grow up without love, and attach yourself to the first people that showed you kindness. And his plan worked out exactly the way he wanted it to. Tell me Harry, did you ever notice that Molly Weasley appeared on the platform at exactly the same time when your relatives abandoned you? And she just _happened _to speak a certain word which would catch your attention? This Dumbledore paid Molly and Ronald Weasley to get close to you, so that they could change your outlook, to ensure his pawn would move exactly where he wanted you. He also used the Imperius curse on Ms. Granger, after she befriended you. I do not know if you can trust her, that is a call you will have to make by yourself. Now let me ask you a question. Had Ronald Weasley not told you that all wizards in Slytherin were dark, would you have been so averse to getting sorted into Slytherin? I believe not. And it is a result of the close mindedness of wizard's in recent times, which has led to a wedge between the houses at Hogwarts. I've seen Salazar through the ages, Harry. His reason for not allowing muggleborns into the school was that he knew that if word got out, it would make the muggles feel inferior in a way, and would have ultimately led to war between muggles and us wizards. His idea has become contorted throughout the ages, turning him into a pureblood supremacist. Now, had you known that, would you have regretted being in Slytherin? As for the Weasly patriarch and the elder brothers, I believe they were in the dark about all this stuff in your life, and I'm sure that the twin brothers would have come and rescued you much sooner, had Ronald told them about your predicament with your relatives."

Harry just dropped to the ground in a heap, tears welling up in his eyes. The only people he had considered his family had betrayed him, and the thought was just too much to bear. Antioch had been right. He felt as if his world had collapsed on itself. He just stared up at the three brothers, hoping for it all to be false, but something in his mind told him he knew they were right.

Ignotus kneeled down in front of him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We know this is a lot for you to take in, young one. Just bear with us a few moments longer. We just thought you should know the whole truth, before going about setting your life back in order." He said, kindly.

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding at him.

"Now, the next part will be even more disheartening for you, but it comes with some good news…Voldemort tried to kill you that night, Harry, because he wanted to make a Horcrux for himself. He had already made five-" Harry looked at him in horror "-and intended to make a sixth by killing you. But what he didn't anticipate was your mother sacrificing herself to save you. Her love for you created a barrier, made of pure magic, between you and Voldemort. Now, when he fired the killing curse at you, it struck the barrier and hit him instead. A part of his soul was ripped from his body, and latched itself to the only thing it found alive… you. That's the reason you have that scar."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Cadmus stopped him "Let him finish first, young one."

Ignotus continued "Now, Hagrid picked you up from the ruins of your home, and took you straight to Dumbledore, who, by now was being impersonated by Grindelwald. He placed a magic block on you, to inhibit the amount of magic you could use, again for his own grand scheme. Now the good news is that the Basilisk venom destroyed the piece of Voldemort's soul in your scar and also burned through Grindelwald's block. And when you stabbed the fang through the diary, you destroyed another one of Voldemort's horcruxes, since Basilisk venom is one of the few things in the world, capable of destroying Horcruxes."

Harry smiled at him, but his expression changed to a frown when a thought crossed his head "But what am I going to do about Dumbled- er… Grindelwald?"

"We'll be teaching you the spell, Harry." said Antioch

"It is an ancient spell, designed to remove the soul from a person's body. The incantation is: _Esto quod quidem ex animo. _It's not the kind of magic that they teach you in school… It is an ancient spell and will draw directly from your magical core, so it doesn't require any kind of practice as such. Just say the spell and you'll be fine."

"Now, after you deal with Grindelwald, we want you to do something. You need to visit your house in Godric's Hollow. In your mother's room, there should be a trunk. Now, this isn't any ordinary trunk, Harry. It was made by your mother herself, and is a singularly unique piece of magic. It's a 7-compartment trunk, and while the first five are meant to store your belongings, the last two contain a fully furnished apartment, complete with a library, and since your mother would have bequeathed it to you, it contains a virtual Quidditch pitch as well." He added, with a small smile on his face

An odd faraway look of longing appeared on the young boy's face at that.

"But… the most extraordinary feature of the trunk is that it is a time delay chamber. Which means, that if you spend a year inside the trunk, only a day would have passed outside. It is really advanced magic, and will only allow someone descended from the Potter's to enter it, and any others the owner decides to admit."

"The reason why we told you this, Harry, is that we want you tot spend two years training in the trunk. A war is coming young one, and you're right in the middle of it. The books in the trunk will help you plenty. Study all those books, and learn the wizarding politics as well. Purchase more books and learn from all of them, young one. Your mind is like a sponge, and you must add as much information into it as you can."

"Now, when you're in there, you should also work on you stamina… magical, as well as muggle. Remember, magic is like a muscle. The more you train it, the more strength you will be able to channel. Oh, and you should get a house-elf too, for meals in the trunk." Cadmus added

Harry nodded.

Ignotus turned towards Harry "When you get out of the trunk, go to Gringotts, and claim your heritage. What you find there may save an innocent man from further torture in prison." At Harry's questioning look, he said, "Trust us, Harry. You'll understand when the time is right."

"You remember the incantation for dealing with Grindelwald, yes?"

He nodded.

Antioch smiled at him "We know this might have been too much for you to take in, young one, but we are just looking out for you. You do all this, I can surely think that you can fulfil your destiny."

As he looked at the three brothers, he realized that they were the only real family he could remember. He would not fail them. He would not allow anyone to manipulate him ever again. With a determined look in his eyes, he looked towards them "Thank you. I will not fail you."

The three of them just smiled at him "We know Harry. Now, it's time for you to wake up. We give you our blessing - May Fortune always shine upon you, may you overcome all the obstacles in your path, and may you achieve true greatness."

With that, the three of them touched Harry's forehead, and the boy named Harry Potter vanished with a bright flash of white light.

* * *

**A/N : Well, that ends chapter 2. Please review! Any and all suggestions are appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : Well, how was that? Ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, no? Well the next chapter should have the confrontation between Harry and Dumble-wald! As always, reviews are welcome!**

**A/N: Whoa! 500 views, and 20 followers! That's a big thing for a first time author, so thanks guys! And thanks for taking the time to read until now. So without any further ado, chapter 3!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 3**

Harry woke up with a jolt. It felt like someone was pouring acid on his arm. He sat up suddenly, and he noticed Fawkes crying into his wound. He was about to ask the bird what it was doing, before he noticed something. His vision was blurred, and he could barely see anything. He took of his spectacles, and looked round, startled. His vision was perfect! He wondered if it had anything to do with the basilisk venom burning though the block placed on him. He looked to the phoenix once again, and saw that it's tears were slowly closing up the wound. He looked in amazement at the bird.

"Thanks, Fawkes"

The phoenix tilted it's head sideways, scrutinising Harry.

_' I sense you see the truth, young wizard.'_

Startled, Harry looked at the phoenix.

"I didn't know phoenixes could talk mentally with other people."

Fawkes gave a soft trill._ 'We cannot. Phoenixes are only able to project their thoughts to the human they are bonded with. But your pure intentions and loyalty was what drew me here, young one. When you came to the Chamber, with saving the young girl the only goal in your mind, and no regard for your own life, it what called out to my soul. I knew you were the wizard I should have been bonded with. Since you know the truth, I can tell you that the dark wizard you know as Grindelwald bound me to his will using dark magic. It is an act of extreme prejudice to use dark magic on a phoenix, since we are one of the purest creatures. But your act of selfless bravery cut through that dark magic, and enabled me to come to your aid. But for me to break through that barrier completely, I must bond with you. Do you accept this?'_

Harry was floored. Never, in his wildest dreams had he imagined this happening to him. In a matter of days, his life had been turned upside down. He blamed both Grindelwald and Voldemort for his current predicament, as well as for the situation the regal bird sitting in front of him was.

Turning his attention to the bird beside him, he said, "Okay Fawkes. I'm more than willing to bond with you. But aren't you supposed to be Dumbledore's familiar? All the stories about him say so."

The phoenix chirped at him. Harry wondered why it sounded amused.

_'That would be true, young one, but I am not Fawkes. Fawkes is my father. Do you know how phoenix are born young one? We are born unlike humans. When phoenix tears are poured over a phoenix' ashes, a baby phoenix is born. Now when Dumbledore was attacked, I was merely a hatchling. Hence Grindelwald was able to overpower me. Alas, Dumbledore never had a chance to name me. To avoid any suspicion, Grindelwald changed my appearance, and named me after my father. But that shall change once we bond, and I will be able to change my appearance should you wish for me to do so.'_

Harry had already made his mind up. Just like him, this phoenix had been manipulated all its life, just for the gains of a dark wizard.

"What do I need to do?" He asked.

_'All you need to do is acknowledge the bond. I shall do the rest. And once we are finished, I will need a new name.'_

Harry smiled at the bird, before closing his eyes to concentrate. He thought of the people who had betrayed him, and how badly he had been hurt when had had received the news. He would not let the same thing happen to this phoenix. _His_ phoenix.

He heard the phoenix singing a sweet melody. It filled him with warmth… and more importantly, hope. He knew he was one step closer to fulfilling his destiny, just like his ancestors had told him.

Suddenly a bright flash enveloped the both of them. Opening his eyes gingerly, Harry looked to his side, and gasped. A beautiful bird was sitting on his right shoulder. It had a red plumage, with flashes of gold feathers, while it's wings were tipped with black. He had a majestic crest, gold in color, and its tail was a foot long, and the color of flames. The phoenix turned its piercingly blue eyes toward him.

_'Now, have you thought of a name for me yet?'_

Harry thought back. When he was attending muggle primary school, a name he had once read in one of his books came to his mind.

He looked to his phoenix companion

"How does Archimedes sound?"

The newly christened phoenix let out a soft trill, signaling acknowledgement.

* * *

Harry walked over to Ginny, who was beginning to stir. Turning to the phoenix perched on his shoulder, he said, "Can you change back to the way you were looking before? I don't want to raise any suspicion until we deal with Grindelwald.

Archimedes bobbed his head in agreement, before a flash of white engulfed him, and his appearance changed back to the way it was before.

Ginny finally opened her eyes and looked around, noticing the sword in his hand, before rising up to meet his eyes. Almost at once, tears began to fall from her eyes "Harry! It was me, Harry! But I s-swear, I d-didn't mean to do it! It was Ridd-"

Harry raised a hand to cut her off. Looking at her, he said "Ginny. It's okay. I know… but let's just get out of here first, okay? Then you can explain."

Harry picked up the diary and Sorting Hat and dusted it off, before moving through the chamber, and making their way to where Ron was standing, who, by now had moved away enough rocks for a person to walk through.

When his eyes landed on Ron, he tried to quell the simmering anger that had risen up in him. He looked towards the redhead, only to see him staring greedily at the sword clutched in Harry's hand.

"Where did you get a sword, Harry?" he asked.

Harry just stared at him; shocked at the blatant way he had just ignored his own sister, not bothering to ask how she was feeling after going through such a gruelling ordeal. Calming himself, he replied, "I'll explain everything later, Ron. Let's just get out of this place. Where's Lockhart?"

Having made their way to a Lockhart who had just lost his memory, he made all of them hang on to each other, before asking Archimedes to fly them out of there.

* * *

Harry and his entourage, barring Archimedes, made their way to the Headmaster's office. He had asked Archimedes to fly off somewhere, so Grindelwald couldn't access his thoughts.

The door flew open before he could knock on it, and was immediately confronted by a hysterical Mrs. Weasley, who demanded to know how he had saved her daughter. Taking a seat before the imposter, He looked towards him, who nodded at Harry, asking him to explain.

Harry told them about the incident in the Chamber, leaving out the parts of his vision, and his bonding with Archimedes. At the end of it, Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Ron were staring slack jawed at him. He thought he noticed a fanatical gleam in Ron's eyes, but before any of them could comment on his story, the door of the office flew open, revealing a livid Lucius Malfoy with Dobby standing timidly beside him. As Harry looked at Dobby, a plan began forming in his head. Lucius ignored the others, looked straight at Dumbledore.

"So. Back, are you?"

Dumbledore looked at Malfoy senior with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Of course, my dear Lucius. The board of governors demanded my immediate re-instatement. Something about you threatening their families, they seem to have told me."

The elder Malfoy sneered at the Headmaster, choosing not to dignify him with a response. He turned on his heel and made his way toward the door. "We're leaving, Dobby!"

Soon after, Dumbledore gestured for the Weasley's to leave them.

Harry looked toward the man impersonating his Headmaster. " Sir, may I just speak to Mr. Malfoy for a moment? After that, I have something regarding an incident related to the diary that occurred in the Chamber, that I wish to speak with you about."

The headmaster just nodded at him, with the ever-present twinkle in his eye. Harry wondered if he had charmed them to appear that way.

Stepping out in the hallway, he ran behind Lucius Malfoy, and called out "Mr. Malfoy!"

He threw his sock at the man, who turned in time just to see the object toward him, and caught it in his hand. He stared at the sock in his hand, giving it a disgusted look.

"What is the meaning of this, Potter?!"

Harry just smiled innocently at him. "Oh, nothing sir. Draco tried to make sure my life was hell this year, so I just thought a little something to anger him was long overdue."

The man just sneered at him again and tossed the sock aside,

.

.

.

Straight into a certain house-elf's hand, just as Harry had hoped. Malfoy seemed to realize what he had done, and with a long look of pure loathing towards Harry, he stalked off, muttering angrily under his breath.

Dobby looked at Harry with tears in his eyes "Harry Potter sir has freed Dobby! Harry Potter is the noblest of wizards! How can Dobby ever repay him?"

Harry just smiled at the sobbing creature and said, "Dobby, I have some very important work to do this summer, and I need a good companion who I can trust. Will you come work for me Dobby? I promise I'll treat you properly, and not like the Malfoy's did."

Dobby was now sobbing harder, and he hugged Harry's leg.

"Of course Harry Potter, sir! Dobby be honored to work for Harry Potter!"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, Dobby. Now I'll call you when I need okay? You can do whatever you want in the meantime."

"Harry Potter is the kindest master ever!", he exclaimed. The teary eyed house-elf hugged his leg one last time, disappearing with a soft _pop_.

He called Archimedes through their bond, who immediately appeared in a flash of flames on Harry's shoulder.

Steeling his nerves, Harry made his way to the Headmaster's office, preparing himself for an inevitable confrontation.

* * *

**A/N : Well, how was that? Ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, no? Well the next chapter should have the confrontation between Harry and Dumble-wald! As always, reviews are welcome! **

**IMPORTANT A/N: I have proof read the first three chapters again, and have added a few new elements. While it won't make much of a difference, you're welcome to read all the chapters once more. A special thanks to the reviewer who brought the errors to my attention!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Over 1,000 views and 40 followers! :O A big thanks to everyone who has read this story, and an even bigger thanks to everyone who added it to their favourites!**

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**CHAPTER 4**

Taking a deep breath, Harry knocked on the door leading into the Headmaster's office, and walked in.

Dumbledore looked up from the book he was reading. "Ah, Harry my boy, come in and take a seat! Now what did you want to see me about?"

Harry knew he would have to play this just right, or Grindelwald would finish him in an instant. He decided to distract him, and then catch him unawares. "Sir, when I was in the Chamber, the ghost of Tom Riddle that appeared from the diary seemed very real. What I mean is that he was very different from the ghosts at Hogwarts. And sir… why did he disappear when I stabbed the diary?"

A contemplative look appeared on the Headmaster's face and he started examining the diary on his table.

Archimedes' voice echoed in his mind. _'Now, Harry!'_

Harry swiftly drew his wand, and uttered the first spell that came to his mind.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Dumbledore's wand flew out of his grasp, and landed straight into Harry's hand.

A multitude of emotions flashed across the man's face- shock, anger, confusion, and fear.

"What is the mean-"

Harry cut him off before he could continue, his wand still pointing between Grindelwald's eyes. "Your games over, Grindelwald." he said.

A cold, cruel smile appeared on his face. "So. Figured it out? I must say I am curious how you achieved it. I'm quite sure that I haven't slipped up, and I'm significantly you are that you are not smart enough to figure it out by yourself. But no matter, I'll find out soon enough. I would still like to know your plan though. What were you planning to do? Did you really think a twelve-year-old wizard could beat me just because I don't have my wand? Well, you are in for a surprise, Potter!"

Grindelwald raised his hands, a curse on his lips, when a streak of scarlet slashed across his face.

This was all that Harry needed. Mustering his strength, Harry yelled, "ESTO QUOD QUIDEM EX ANIMO!"

Grindelwald just stood there, frozen, as a dark colored spell collided with his chest. An inhuman wail escaped him, and he fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

Harry stared in shock at the scene before him. Dumbledore's body was moving around on the floor in pain, and slowly seemed to be transforming into someone else. Suddenly, with a last spasm, a black mist emerged from the body, before morphing into a fearsome looking face. "This isn't over, Potter! Retribution shall be mine!" his voice boomed.

With that, the mist rushed out of the window, and over the Hogwarts grounds.

Harry turned to the body lying on the floor. But before he could make his way towards the man, the body disintegrated into nothing.

_'__There was nothing you could do about it, Harry. He would have died anyway. Being possessed by Grindelwald dried his magical core completely.' _Archimedes' said.

Harry nodded and looked around the office, looking for the secret room where Grindelwald had kept Dumbledore. "Do you know where it is, Archimedes?"

The phoenix nodded, before flying onto his shoulder. _'I can flash us there. Hold on.' _he said.

In a flash of fire, Harry disappeared from the Headmaster's office, an appeared into a small room. Looking around, he gasped as he noticed Dumbledore lying perfectly still on a bed, with his hands crossed over his chest, holding onto his wand. A phoenix was resting on a perch nearby, head tucked under its wing.

Harry looked at Archimedes. "Do you know how to wake them up?"

Archimedes trilled in acknowledgement, before starting to sing. This was very different from what Harry had heard in the Chamber. This music, called out to his soul, endearing him to wake up, to take control. He found himself loft in the melody, which slowly reached it's end. He looked towards the legendary wizard, who seemed to be slowly opening his eyes. His eyes landed on Harry, and a bewildered expression came across his face.

"James? Where are we? And why do you look like a child? A mishap with Polyjuice again?"

Harry laughed, "No, Headmaster. I am not James, but everyone does tell me that I look extraordinarily like him. My name is Harry Potter, and I have a very long story to tell you.

* * *

Before he could tell the Headmaster his story, the old wizard interrupted Harry "Harry. I have something called a pensieve in my office. It is a device used to review memories. This will save you the trouble of having to relieve all those memories again. Is that alright?"

Harry nodded, a relieved sigh escaping him. He and Dumbledore used their familars to flame travel to the Headmasters office. Dumbledore made his way to a cabinet, and pulled out something. It looked like a stone basin, and had a strangely glowing liquid within it.

"Harry, I want you to think hard on all the events you can remember from your life, till now. Then, place your wand at your temple, and pull it out. Once you are done, place them in the pensieve." Dumbledore said.

Concentrating hard, Harry did exactly as he was told. He thought of everything he could remember, including his time with the Dursley's. Hesitating a bit, he decided not to give Dumbledore his memories about the vision with the Peverell brothers. He placed his wand at his temple, and was surprised to find a silvery thread like substance hanging from the wand tip. Dumbledore smiled encouragingly at him, and Harry gently lowered his memories into the pensieve.

Dumbledore looked at him. "Excellent, Harry! Now, I must ask you to wait in my office, while I go through these. I shall not be gone for long." With that, the Headmaster lowered his head into the basin, disappearing into it when his face came into contact with the liquid.

Harry sat down in the chair across the Headmaster's table, and looked at Fawkes, who seemed to be studying Harry and Archimedes.

"I hope you don't mind me bonding with your descendant, sir?" He asked a little timidly.

A surprisingly gentle but firm voice spoke back in his mind _'Not at all young one. I sense he has found a worthy wizard to bond with. But I must ask you to take care of him, hatchling.'_

Harry nodded firmly.

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat sitting on the table spoke up.

"Mr. Potter. I now realize why you seemed to be so difficult to place during the sorting. You would have done well in all of the houses, but i couldn't figure out a particular reason why. Something seems to have changed within you I sorted you, and something has now awakened within you. Now, you must visit Salazar's quarters within the Chamber. You will find something there that is of vital importance to you, and in the war that will be upon us. I wish you luck, Mr. Potter. You will need it."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? What do you mean by 'vital to the war'?"

The hat just ignored him. Harry growled in frustration, and looked at Archimedes. _'What do you think that means?'_ he asked.

_'__I do not know, Harry. Our best option would be to do as he says.'_

Harry agreed. He would figure it out later.

Suddenly, an extremely furious Dumbledore appeared from the pensieve. One look at the Headmaster, and Harry knew exactly why he was considered the greatest Wizard in recent times. Dumbledore seemed to be radiating an aura of power. Fawkes flew to the Headmaster's shoulder, singing in soothing tones.

Dumbledore's countenance seemed to relax. He looked at Harry with immense sadness in his blue eyes.

"Harry… I am terribly sorry for the ordeal that you have been through… I only wish there was something I could do to help you through this. I know that due to Grindelwald, your trust in me might have diminished. But I assure you, that I will do everything I can to help you in the future, if only to make up for the terrible mistakes that he committed."

Harry smiled at the old and weary looking wizard. "I understand, Headmaster. But as you said, I will have some trouble trusting you initially. I hope we can get over that."

Dumbledore gave him a slight smile, before continuing "But I am curious as to how you knew the spell which destroyed Grindelwald. There was a gap in a memory too… I take it something happened down in the Chamber?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. But it's slightly personal, Headmaster. No offence sir, but I don't think I trust you as of yet. But perhaps in the future?"

A wistful look appeared on the wizened wizard's face. "Of course, Harry. I hope we will come to trust each other, sooner, rather than later. Now, I must ask you to give an old man some time to catch up after being away for over ten years, yes?" he asked with a smile.

Harry stood up and thanked him, before leaving the office, Archimedes still resting on his shoulder.

The headmaster stroked his trustful companion's feathers. "That boy has suffered a terrible fate, Fawkes, and yet, his ability to trust and love has not withered the slightest. And I fear his life will only continue to be as eventful as it is, and we will do our utmost to stand beside him. We failed once when we were unable to protect him, old friend. It must not happen again. We must not fail Harry Potter."

The phoenix perched beside the headmaster let out a long trill, while his master contemplated on how to right Grindelwald's wrongs.

* * *

Harry was on his way to the Gryffindor common room, before he seemed to realize that he would have to face both Ron and Hermione there. Deciding to delay their meeting, Harry made his way to the Owlery. He saw Hedwig there, who immediately flew onto his other shoulder, and nipped his ear affectionately. She turned he intelligent amber eyes toward the bird perched on Harry's other shoulder.

Smiling at his snowy white owl, he said "This is Archimedes, girl. He's my familiar too, so he's going to be staying with us, okay?"

Hedwig looked the phoenix one more time, before giving a small nod of acknowledgement.

Archimedes let out an amused trill, as Harry chuckled alongside him. Harry and his two birds made their way to the topmost point of the Owlery, before Harry sat on a ledge that overlooked the Great Lake. His bird companions hopped off his shoulders, and stood on either side off him.

Sitting here, Harry felt a sense of tranquility and contentment that he had never experienced before. All thoughts of his past vanished, giving him something to looks forward to in the future.

As he watched the sun set, he thought back to all that had transpired in his life, all the times when he had been manipulated and treated like dirt. Sensing his negative emotions, Archimedes began singing once again, while Hedwig scooted closer to him. He smiled at both of them; vowing to change as a person, in honour of his parent's memories, and also to vanquish the man known as Voldemort. He knew his future would bring a lot of trouble, but he believed it held promise.

It was a long time before Harry made his way to Hogwarts, and he reached just in time for dinner. As he stepped into the Great Hall, every single person turned to look at him, and furious whispering broke out. Dumbledore gave him an understanding smile. Harry made his way to the Gryffindor table, taking a seat between Oliver Wood and Neville Longbottom.

"Where have you been, Harry? You were missing for almost 3 hours!" Neville hissed at him.

"First, there was an incident, and after that I wanted some time alone. I expect you'll hear about it soon enough from Dumbledore." He whispered back.

Neville gave him a thumbs-up, grinning, "Saved another person eh, Harry?"

Harry grinned back at him. "Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise now, would I?"

Neville laughed with him. With a pang of guilt, Harry realized that even though Neville had been his roommate, Harry had hardly socialized with him. With a start, Harry also came to the conclusion that Neville had not pushed him to explain, something that Ron and Hermione seemed to do.

Speaking of his friends/betrayers, Harry looked down the table to find them staring at him, gesturing for him to come join them. He declined their offer, and continued enjoying his meal beside Neville.

Dumbledore stood up after the meal, and addressed everyone. "I have a small announcement to make, after which all of us can revel in the warm comforts of our beds. Now, due to Mr. Potter's bravery, the monster from the Chamber has been dealt with. As it is, He deserves to be rewarded for this fine act of valour. I award the Gryffindor house 200 points!"

The Gryffindor table burst into cheers, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws applauded politely, while the Slytherin House just sulked, as usual.

Neville clapped Harry on his back, with a large smile on his face. "Great job, Harry! We're going to win our second House Cup in a row!"

Dumbledore clinked a glass with his fork, and with a smile, said. "Another announcement we would like to make is that due to traumatic events recently, all exams have been cancelled for this term, and you can all leave for home tomorrow. Chop-chop!"

The deafening cheer from the students echoed all over Hogwarts.

* * *

In a place far away, a black mist coalesced to form a hazy outline of a man.

Grindelwald knew his plans had been dashed to the ground. The spell the boy had used prevented him from possessing any wizard. He couldn't use the body of any other wizard to hold his from now. Unless… yes. That would work. It would take a long time to fulfill his plan, but in the end, he would have his revenge.

A fatalistic and cruel smile appeared on his face. "You may have bested me this time, Potter, but remember my words. I will have retribution."

* * *

**A/N : Well, how was that? I hope you all liked this chapter! Please leave behind a review, and if the story has impressed you so far, please add it to your favourites! Thanks! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all the views, and favourites! Hope you continue to like the story!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 5**

After the euphoria of the exams getting cancelled had worn off, all the students walked off to their dorms. Percy Weasley walked up to Harry, before he got onto the staircases.

"Harry, headmaster Dumbledore wanted a word with you. He's waiting for you in his office."

Anything to postpone his confrontation with Ron and Hermione was sounded great to Harry. Making his way to the office, he wondered what Dumbledore wanted.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Ah. Yes, Harry. After seeing your memories, I thought for a while, and I believe I have some very good news for you." Dumbledore said with a smile.

Harry could really use some good news now. He nodded at his Headmaster

"I have found a place for you to live."

Harry reeled back in surprise. Dumbledore really couldn't be serious, could he?

Dumbledore merely chuckled at Harry's barely disguised look of surprise. "Yes, Harry. I have been in touch with the goblins, and although they refuse to divulge any information, they were willing to tell me that you will own a lot of properties, once you become an adult. Now, before you ask, no, you will not have to wait for another 5 years. When only a sole heir of a family remains, he can emancipate himself, and become a legal adult. We can do this as soon as tomorrow if you wish, Harry."

Harry thought back to his conversation with the Peverell brothers. They had asked him to prepare in his mother's trunk before he took any steps to rebuilding a better life. Though he wanted his immediate release from the Dursley's he knew that he something to do first.

"I'd really like that, sir. But I have a task to attend to first. Would you be willing to accompany me four days from today?"

Dumbledore was very close to asking Harry about his task, before he changed his mind. The young boy in front of him had enough troubles already. He would require some time to start trusting his Headmaster.

"That is all for now, Harry. I trust I will see you in four days?"

Harry smiled at the Headmaster, before leaving the office. A pleased smile appeared on his face. Dumbledore wasn't pushing him for answers. That was a good sign for things to come.

As he made his way to the Gryffindor dormitories, he knew he would have to confront his friends. He couldn't delay it any longer. Unless…

A thought stopped Harry short. He called Archimedes.

His familiar flashed onto his shoulder. "Archimedes, could you flame me directly to my bed, please?" he asked with a grin. He knew both Ron and Hermione would be waiting for him in the common room.

Without a word, Archimedes flashed Harry to his bedroom. No one seemed to be there, since all the beds were empty. Noises could be heard from the common room, where Harry presumed a party was going on, thanks to the exams being cancelled. Harry decided to pack ahead, not wanting to be in a mad rush to pack the next morning, before the Hogwarts Express left.

Stowing his final belongings in the trunk, he locked it, before bidding a goodnight to Archimedes. He fell back on his bed, a content smile on his face.

The next morning, Harry woke up early. It was around 5 in the morning, and he doubted anyone would be awake after the parties late last night. Making sure all his belongings were in place, he made his way to the Great Hall. He saw only Dumbledore sitting alone in the hall, and he made his way over to him.

"Ah, Harry. Wonderful to see you come here this early. Now, would you like to join me for breakfast?"

After a quick breakfast with Dumbledore, Harry made his way to the carriages, his headmaster walking alongside him. As they neared the train, Dumbledore spoke.

"I know this year has been especially unforgiving for you, Harry. But do not let this make you lose your faith in people. You will find that all people have flaws, but you must give them time to prove themselves. Human emotions are a very complex and wonderful way of life, Harry. But always remember: You are the master of your emotions. Not the other way around. Now, I will see you at your relatives house in three days, I trust?"

Still pondering the advice that Dumbledore had given him, Harry nodded. His Headmaster gave him a smile, before making his way back to the castle.

Harry got onto the Hogwarts Express, and made his way into the last compartment on the train. Once he was inside, he placed his luggage, and freed Hedwig from her cage, before calling out to Archimedes and Dobby.

With a soft _pop_, Dobby appeared, followed by a flash of fire, signaling the arrival of Harry's phoenix.

"Dobby, could you please lock this cabin to make sure no one comes in?"

Dobby gave a low bow, before snapping his fingers. "It is been done, master!" he said cheerfully.

Harry sighed. "Dobby. I don't want you to call me master, okay?"

Dobby looked sad, before a happy smile appeared on his face. "Can Dobby be calling yous Master Harry?"

Seeing the hopeful look in the little elf's eyes, Harry relented. Hugging Harry, the elf disappeared once more.

He settled on the couch in the compartment, before realizing he had nothing to do. He pulled out his second year books, and began to study in earnest. Harry didn't even realize the train had begun to move.

The rest of the journey passed uneventfully, with Harry still buried in his books.

* * *

As the train slowed down to a halt, Harry realized that he had actually studied sincerely, without Hermione constantly nagging him. With a small smile on his face he packed his trunk once more, and was just about to exit the compartment when he realized something. Uncle Vernon wouldn't know about school ending early, and he wouldn't be picking Harry up. Shrugging, he called out to Dobby, and asked him to take them back to Privet Drive.

Harry, along with his belongings, disappeared from the train compartment and appeared in a fairly deserted Privet Drive. Thanking Dobby, he asked Archimedes and Hedwig to fly away, since he knew his relatives wouldn't take very kindly to his own appearance, much less that of his birds.

Hauling his trunk, he made his way to the front door and rang the bell. The door opened to reveal his aunt, whose expression changed to bewilderment when she saw him.

"Who is it, Petunia?" Vernon's voice called out from the kitchen.

Since his aunt seemed to be too shocked to form a coherent reply, Harry called out "It's me, Uncle Vernon!"

Harry had to choke back a laugh when he heard a crash from the kitchen, and his uncle walked out from the kitchen, looking dazed.

"What are you doing here boy?! You aren't due for another two weeks!" he yelled.

Harry looked back at his uncle coldly. "I have just a few things to take care of, Uncle. I'll be staying here for two days, and will be in my room. You don't even have to feed me. All I ask is that you don't disturb me. After that, I'll be out of your life. Hopefully forever." Turning around, he made his way up the stairs, and into his room. His Aunt and Uncle were left gaping at his retreating back.

* * *

As Harry entered his room, he thought back to his with the Peverell's. He knew time was of essence, and he should get started immediately. He opened the window, for Hedwig and Archimedes to fly in, and called out to Dobby.

The hyperactive elf appeared immediately. "Master Harry be calling for Dobby?"

Steeling his nerves, he looked at the elf. "Dobby. I need you to take me to Godric's Hollow."

* * *

His heart beating in his throat, Harry opened his eyes. Looking around, he tried to remember something about the place where his family had lived. He was wearing the cloak; since he didn't want anyone to be identifying him here. Dobby, who was standing beside him, was about to disappear, when Harry asked him to stop. "Please, Dobby. I want you to stay here with me."

The little elf nodded at him, giving him a small smile. Hearing a soft trill, he looked to see Archimedes flying above them. He had left both his birds back in Privet Drive, but Archimedes had apparently wanted to go with him.

Walking towards the church, he noticed the graveyard behind it. A lump formed in his throat, as he looked at the place where his parents would be buried. Making his way to the graveyard, he noticed several tombstones, covered in a variety of flowers. He walked up to one of the graves at the back, he crouched before it, and wiped away the dust that had covered it. He looked at the words engraved on the surface

_Ignotus Peverell_

There was a strange sign below the name, but Harry disregarded it. He made his way down the rows of tombstones, down to two marble headstones, which seemed to be covered with the largest number of flowers. He sat down in front of his parents' graves.

_James Potter, (27 March 1960 - 31 October 1981)_

_Lily Potter, (30 January 1960 – 31 October 1981)_

_"__The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."_

He looked strangely at the quote. It was out of place, and from what Harry had heard of his parents, it didn't seem to fit in at all. With a start, Harry realized this was Grindelwald's work, and fury rose up within him. It was another one of the things that Grindelwald would have to answer for. Pushing those thoughts away from his mind, Harry began to talk to his parents, telling them about all that had happened in his life. Archimedes had flown onto his shoulder, offering him the warmth of comfort. When he was done, he was surprised to find tears rolling down his face. Looking at Dobby, he asked him to conjure a bouquet of roses, and laid it down at his parents' graves. As he stood up, he felt lighter. A great weight seemed to have been taken off his shoulders. Smiling down at the two graves, he said. "I'll do all of this for the both of you. I hope I make you proud, Mum and Dad."

* * *

Making his way to the end of the rows of cottages, he reached the house at the end of the line. It was in ruins, with the top floor blasted out, and debris fallen all over the garden. Pushing open the gate, he walked inside, and made his way to the living room. Harry saw a small broken broomstick in one of the corners, and felt a pang in his heart. He couldn't stay here any longer. Swiftly making his way up the stairs, he stopped in front of a wooden door. There was a plaque on the door, and _Lily_ was written on it in faint letters. Pushing the door open, he looked around what had been his mother's room.

Spotting a trunk in a corner of the room, Harry made his way over to it, and wiped the fine layer of dust covering it. This was the trunk Ignotus had told him about. He placed one hand on it and asked Dobby to take them all back to Privet Drive.

* * *

Once he was back in his room, Harry turned to Dobby. "Dobby. You must be wondering why we to Godric's Hollow just to get a trunk. Well, this trunk has a time lock chamber, and I will be going inside it to train and prepare myself there. But I will need some food when I'm there. Would you like to come with me?"

The elf nodded eagerly, and Harry smiled at him.

Checking that the door of his room was securely locked, he gathered his cloak, his broomstick, his wand and books into one of Dudley's old backpacks. Stepping towards the trunk, he placed a thumb on the lock. He felt a tiny prick, and the words _Lily Potter_ changed to _Harry James Potter_. Opening it, Harry saw that it looked just like his school trunk. He was beginning to feel a bit stupid, and was wondering if the vision he had had been a joke, when he noticed something. The numbers one through seven were carved on the edges. Heart beating in excitement, he places his hand on the number 7, and the bottom of the trunk dropped open, revealing a small room. Taking a deep breath, he jumped inside the trunk. He realized he was actually standing in a small corridor, and a door was in front of him. It was covered in all sorts of strange symbols. He noticed a circular symbol engraved right in the centre of the door, and placed his hand upon it. A tendril of white magic detached itself from the door, and wrapped around Harry's arm. A warm feeling spread throughout Harry, and the white magic disappeared from his hand. A soft click was heard, and the door swung open.

Harry stared in amazement at the apartment in front of him. It was decorated in Hogwarts colours- green, red, yellow and blue. A small smile appeared on his face at the display of House unity, something that no one had exhibited in his time at Hogwarts. Taking a tour of the apartment, he laughed in delight when he saw the virtual quidditch pitch, which looked exactly like the one in Hogwarts. He decided he would try it out later. He found a library that was overflowing with books, a small kitchen (which would please Dobby immensely), something that looked like a dueling room, and bedroom. He finally entered the last room, which was revealed to be a study. There was a small fireplace in one corner, and some books were lying on a regal looking table. A voice suddenly interrupted him

"James? What are you doing here? And come to think of it, where exactly am I?"

Harry looked behind him to see two paintings hanging on the wall. The man, who had spoken, looked like an older version of Harry, with streaks of white in his hair. The woman's painting, which was to his right, was regarding Harry curiously, her head tilted to one side.

"I don't think that's James, Charlus. James' eyes are hazel in coulor."

With a jolt of surprise, he realized he was looking at his grandparents. "I'm Harry, maam. Harry Potter. James was my father. And sir, you are in my mother's trunk."

A delighted smile broke across the woman's face "Harry! We were hoping to see you one day! You've become so big! And you look exactly like James,-"

"-and he has Lily's eyes." Finished the man. "You said James 'was' your father, Harry. Would you tell us everything, please?"

Almost an hour later, Harry was done with his story. He had told them everything, including his vison and what the Peverell brothers had told him. Charlus was shaking his head in grief. "So young. And to be fighting so many." He whispered, tears in his eyes. "My name is Charlus Potter, Harry, and this is your grandmother Dorea Potter. I'm sorry that you weren't able to know your parents, Harry. They were truly wonderful people. And don't worry, child. We will do everything we can to make sure you are prepared."

Smiling at both his grandparents, he knew that he was growing. Slowly, but surely, his life was getting back on track. Harry would prepare himself, and Voldemort would be left ruing the day when he had decided to go after Harry.

* * *

**A/N: Well. That's chapter 5 done! Hope you liked it, and sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. Got caught up in assignments. As always, reviews are welcome. Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter guys. Had some trouble with my laptop. Thanks to everyone who has read, and stood by this story. Here's the 6****th**** one for you!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 6**

"Damn it, Harry! I may be a portrait, but a jinx still hurts!" whined Charlus, with Dorea chuckling in the frame beside him.

Harry broke out of his reverie and smirked at his grandfather. He put aside his wand, and looked at his grandfather sheepishly

"Sorry, Grandpa Charlus. You know how absent minded I get when I'm reading."

Charlus had been greatly annoyed at Harry, due to the various jinxes he'd been subjected to. Harry would read his books in the study, and would subconsciously wave his wand to practice the wand movements. Even after plenty of warnings from his grandfather, Harry had never really lost his habit, something that amused Dorea tremendously. Harry knew his grandfather would have throttled him by now if he weren't confined to his portrait.

Charlus was still muttering darkly under his breath, while Harry shared an amused glance with his grandmother.

"All set, Harry?" she asked. "You've done excellently, Harry, much more than I would have ever expected from a wizard at your age. But then again, you're my grandson after all." She said, in a fake air of pompousness. There was a moment of silence, before the three of them burst out laughing.

Two years without anyone beside him had really been difficult to manage, but he pulled through. His knowledge had vastly improved, and so had his spell-casting ability. Initially, he'd almost been on the verge of a breakdown, when he'd barely been able to cast third-year spells. Archimedes' vast knowledge had helped him in this regard, also building up his confidence. He'd also taken Ignotus' advice of a muggle fitness regime very seriously, and was astounded to find that the fitter he got, the longer he could fire spells.

Thanks to Dobby's cooking, his grandmother's yelling, and Charlus' exercise routines, Harry stood at a respectable 5 foot 7, with a build people would envy. His hair had grown down to his shoulders, a fact that irked his grandmother to a great extent. It was mainly because he trusted neither himself, nor Dobby with a pair of scissors. His Quidditch breaks had also greatly improved his maneuverability, something that would help in his Duelling.

Harry hadn't just grown physically. He had read through almost all the books present in the library, and was well ahead of the curriculum at Hogwarts. Runes and Arithmacy had been particularly difficult to manage, but he had nevertheless studied hard, and was at least into the 4th year books in both the subjects. He was much further along in the others, and had begun trying to cast silently, on his grandfather's advice. It was still proving to be notoriously difficult.

Packing up the last of his notes, Harry looked around the place that had become his home in the last two years. Archimedes flew out to his shoulder, rubbing his head against Harry's cheek. Stroking the phoenix's soft plumage, he called out to Dobby, who immediately appeared beside him Two years in the trunk had worked wonders for Dobby's appearance too, and he was no longer the thin and gaunt house-elf Harry had met. He walked up to his grandparents' portraits, both of whom were gazing fondly at him. "I just wanted to thank you both, for everything. I couldn't have done it without you guys." He said softly.

"We should be thanking you, Harry. It gave us a chance to bond with our grandson. Just do me a favour? When you move into the house, put my painting up there. It's quite boring here." Charlus joked.

A distasteful expression crossed Dorea's face. "Honestly, Charlus. But Harry dear, you have to do one thing for me as soon as you get out of here."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Get a haircut!"

* * *

Harry appeared in a flash of flames inside his bedroom. He looked around distastefully, and hopefully the last time. He was about to cast the _Tempus _charm to find out the time, before he realized that he wasn't allowed to use magic. Yet.

He glanced at the watch and swore. According to the note he had received, Dumbledore would be appearing within an hour. He was interrupted, however, by a loud hoot.

"Hedwig! I missed you down there, girl! How're you doing?" he exclaimed.

Hedwig flew off her perch and onto Harry's vacant shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately. Harry noticed a few letters sitting on his desk.

The first was from Hogwarts, asking him for his choice of electives. Grabbing a quill, he wrote down Runes, Arithmacy, and Care of Magical creatures. He had tried reading up a bit of Divination in the trunk, and had decided to give up on it after reading the first two pages.

There were 4 letters from Ron and Hermione, and surprisingly, one from Neville. He decided to reply to them later. The last was a parchment that had an elegant script on it. Dumbledore would be picking him up at noon. He looked at the watch once again. He still had an hour or so.

Packing up the things he would require in the backpack, he asked Archimedes to take him to the entrance to Diagon Alley. He immediately appeared in front of the familiar brick wall, and tapped his wand on the bricks. The pathway opened up, and Harry once again found himself marveling the alley. People were milling around everywhere, not giving a second glance to the long haired teen.

Pushing his way through the throng of people, he found himself in from of a small run down store. The bell chimed as he walked through the door, and an enthusiastic old woman immediately greeted him.

He walked out of the shop 15 minutes later, feeling extremely content. He ran his hand through his hair, feeling lighter. His grandmother would certainly be pleased.

His next stop was Flourish and Blotts. He walked into the store, and spotted the manager.

"Hello. I need a few notes of mine bound together as a notebook. Would you be able to do that?"

The manager smiled at him, and nodded. "I take it you're looking for a book for notes on each subject?" When Harry nodded, he continued. "Very well. It's a fairly simple procedure, and it will be done. If I may make a suggestion, I have an additional spell we could add. The book will add pages to itself as you go on writing, but it will cost an added 5 galleons. Is that acceptable?"

"That would be perfect, thank you. Also, would you have something as an alternative to a quill? It becomes ridiculously difficult to write with at times."

The manager nodded, seemingly impressed. "Yes, we do have something of that sort. But it is hardly ever bought, since most students prefer quills. It resembles a muggle ink pen. Costs 3 galleons."

Harry took the required money out of his bag and handed it to the manager. He returned a while later, with Harry's new notebooks and his pen. Thanking him, Harry walked out of the store, and headed towards the Leaky Cauldron. He couldn't help but feel that his life was getting back on track. He called out to Archimedes through their link, and he immediately appeared his shoulder, taking him back to the Dursley's doorstep. Dudley opened the front door, and screamed like a girl on seeing Harry, fainting on the floor.

Shaking his head in amusement, Harry stepped over his cousin, and walked up to his room.

* * *

The doorbell rang precisely as the clock struck twelve, and Harry made his way downstairs, both Archimedes and Hedwig perched on his shoulders. His aunt was about to open it, when she noticed Harry, and froze, probably wondering how he had managed change so drastically in a matter of two days. Harry went over to her "It's okay. I've got it." He told her. Still shaking her head dazedly, Petunia walked back in the direction of the kitchen.

He opened the door, and was not surprised when Dumbledore also looked in shock at his new appearance, before regaining his composure, and choosing not to comment. "Er… yes. We should leave immediately, Harry. We have an appointment to keep with the goblins. Would you like to travel by side-along apparation, or would you prefer to travel with Archimedes?" he asked.

"I'll go there with Archimedes, if that's alright, Headmaster. We'll meet you at the entrance to Gringotts?"

Dumbledore looked disappointed that Harry still wasn't willing to trust him, but nodded nevertheless.

Harry appeared on the front steps of the goblin bank at the same time as Dumbledore. Together, they made their way over to the goblin sitting at the front desk. Dumbledore addressed the goblin in a polite tone. "Greetings. I have an appointment with Head Goblin Ragnok. Would you be so kind to show us the way to his office?"

The goblin looked up from his book and regarded Harry and Dumbledore, before signaling to another goblin. The goblin walked over to the two wizards and guided them into an ornate looking room, where a stern looking goblin sat on an elegant chair.

"Ah, yes. Mister Potter, and Chief Warlock Dumbledore, I've been expecting you. We shall start with Mister Potter's inheritance immediately."

He pulled out a folder from his desk, along with a small silver knife. He placed the sealed folder in front of Harry.

"Mr. Potter. This may sound a bit gruesome to a wizard of your age, but I want you to apply a drop of your blood on the seal of that folder. It was locked by the last goblin in charge of handling the Potter vaults, and will open only to a Potter. It will help us determine if you are truly Harry Potter, and not an imposter. Use the knife I have provided you, as it will ensure the cut seals up immediately. I suggest we read these documents before moving to the next order of business."

Picking up the knife, Harry made a small cut on his thumb, and smeared some blood on the seal. With a small click, the folder popped open. Ragnok nodded solemnly, before pulling out the documents and began reading them out loud.

"The Potter family has various homes spread throughout the country, along with apartments in Diagon Alley, a house in Hogsmeade, and an ancestral manor in Wales. The next document deals with the investments the family has made over the years, something I doubt will be of much importance now. The contents of the Potter family vault now stand at 72 million galleons, while the contents of the trust vault stand at 8,000 galleons. A large sum of money seems to have been transferred in November 1981 from the Trust Vault. A sum of 10,000 galleons to-" a frown crossed the goblin's face "-the Dumbledore family vaults. Would you care to explain this, Chief Warlock?"

Dumbledore just sat back in his chair, shocked from the revelation. Harry sighed, and turned towards the goblin "Master Ragnok. This is an extremely delicate matter. I am willing to tell you the events that happened, provided that this matter stays between us. Is that acceptable?"

When the goblin nodded, Harry narrated the story, seeing the emotions flitting across Ragnok's face. By the end of it, Ragnok's face was red with anger. "Mr. Potter. I believe you are saying the truth. As such, Gringotts apologises for the money we have cost you-"

Harry raised a hand to cut him off. "Chief Goblin Ragnok. I do not hold Gringotts responsible for this. The money that has gone is of no consequence. I still hold Gringotts in the highest esteem, so you need not be blaming yourself."

Both Ragnok and Dumbledore beamed at Harry. Ragnok spoke up. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. You're words alleviate some of the guilt. I assure you that this sort of incident shall never occur in Gringotts again. Now, we shall move on to the next document, which is your parents' will. I believe this is something you should read by yourself."

Harry accepted the parchment from Ragnok's hand and began reading. The will stated that in the event of their deaths, Harry was left all their belongings and would be placed under the care of his Godfather, Sirius Black. In case that was not possible, Harry was to be raised by Nicholas and Pernelle Flamel."

Harry was startled. The imposter Dumbledore had lied about that too? "I'm sorry, Lord Ragnok, but I wasn't aware that the Flamels were alive. Is there any way to find this out?"

"Yes Mr. Potter. You see, the head of Gringotts is notified immediately when an owner of a vault is deceased, and an owl is immediately sent to the beneficiary of the deceased persons will."

Harry nodded in understanding. "You said something about my godfather as well?"

A confused frown appeared across the goblins face. "Yes, a queer development, that. You see, your godfather was sent to Azkaban prison for the murder of Peter Pettigrew, and also for treason against the Potters. The problem is, that he was never given a trial, and as Wizarding laws clearly state, the Head of a Noble and Ancient house _must_ be given a trial, no matter how damning the circumstances. Sirius Black's grandfather was the Head of House Black, and in his will, named Sirius Black as the next heir. Also, another point is that Sirius Black is your godfather, which means that he is unable of any act that will cause harm to you, due to the oaths he took when your parents made him godfather."

Harry was furious. An innocent man had been rotting in Azkaban prison for 11 years, all because he wasn't given a trial. And Harry had a pretty good idea as to who was responsible for not granting Sirius a trial. Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he brought his attention back to the goblin.

"Alright, then that is my next order of business. I'll also send an owl to the Flamels, once I am settled in my new house. Is there anything else remaining, Lord Ragnok?"  
"Yes, Mr. Potter. You need to wear your Head of House rings, which will confirm your position, and also absolve you from the Trace that prevents you from using magic. An owl will be sent to the Ministry of Magic regarding your change of status. And you will also have to designate a goblin to handle your finances."

A goblin hurried into the room carrying a small box. Ragnok lifted the lid off the box, revealing two rings sitting on a plush velvet cushion. The ring to the right had the insignia of a phoenix with a sword clutched in its talons. Harry surmised this was the Potter ring, and put it on his finger. A bright light emanated from the symbol, and it transformed to fit perfectly to his finger. He pulled out the second ring, which had a thestral as the crest. Both the rings merged together into a single one, with half of each crest.

"Chief Goblin Ragnok. I would also like to visit my vaults and withdraw a few items I require. Also, I would like Griphook to manage both my vaults."

Ragnok looked up in shock at Harry. "Lord Peverell-Potter, Griphook is merely a minor goblin. I assure you that there are plenty more accomplished goblins to take care of your finances."

"Yes, Lord Ragnok. But Griphook was the goblin that attended to me the first time I visited Gringotts, and I have complete trust in him."

The Head of the Goblins looked at Harry with newfound respect in his eyes. "It will be done, Lord Peverell-Potter."

Harry looked at his headmaster. "Headmaster Dumbledore, could you wait for me in the Leaky Cauldron? Once I get what I need from the vault, I intend to free an innocent man from hell on earth."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this was more of a filler chapter, but it needed to be there. Thanks for reading, please leave a review behind!**


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